Hay Feeder

ABSTRACT

Here is disclosed a hay feeder for enclosing a cylindrical bail of bay having opposite first and second longitudinal portions. The hay feeder includes a semi-cylindrical housing dimensioned to enclose the first longitudinal portion of the cylindrical bail, the semi-cylindrical housing having a arched bottom and an open top having a rim. A lid is provided which is configured to fit the rim to close the open top. The lid includes a frame supporting a flexible net which is dimensioned to enclose the second longitudinal portion of the cylindrical bail when the lid is closed on the semi-cylindrical housing.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to devices for feeding hay to livestock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Livestock such as cattle and horses are often fed bay which is laid outfor them in a field. To ensure that the feeding of hay to livestock isas efficient as possible, the hay is usually bundled as largecylindrical bails which are then rolled out onto the field as required.The bails of hay are exposed to the livestock and they are free to satthe bay as they desire. In order to prevent the hay bail from beingtrampled by the livestock, the hay bail can be contained in a large hayfeeder which generally consists of a large rectangular housingconfigured to contain the bay bail and lift it off the ground whileexposing the hay bail to the livestock. Newer hay feeders are providedwith a flexible netting which is draped over the hay bail to furthercontain the hay and prevent it from falling out of the feeder whilestill allowing the animals to feed on the hay. Unfortunately, these hayfeeders are relatively heavy and require a tractor to move.Additionally, the hay bail must be lifted off the ground and positionedwithin the feeder, therefore requiring the use of a tractor as the bayhails are too large and heavy to be lifted by hand. Therefore, animproved hay feeder which is lighter and more convenient to use isrequired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a hay feeder for enclosing a cylindrical bail of hay which canbe loaded by simply rolling a bail of hay into the feeder by hand. Thehay feeder includes a housing having a bottom and side walls formed as asemi-cylindrical trough. The housing has an open top, an interior and arim surrounding the open top, the rim having opposite front and backedges. A lid is pivotally coupled to the back edge of the rim anddimensioned to cover the open top, the lid being movable between openand closed positions. The lid has a rectangular frame supporting aflexible net. The semi-cylindrical tough is dimensioned to contain afirst longitudinal portion of the cylindrical bail of hay. The flexiblenet is configured such that the net covers over a second longitudinalportion of the cylindrical bail of hay when the lid is closed.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a hay feeder for enclosing a cylindrical bail of hay havingopposite first and second longitudinal portions. The hay feeder includesa semi-cylindrical housing dimensioned to enclose the first longitudinalportion of the cylindrical bail, the semi-cylindrical housing having anarched bottom and an open top having a rim. A lid is provided which isconfigured to fit the rim to close the open top. The lid includes aframe supporting a flexible net which is dimensioned to enclose thesecond longitudinal portion of the cylindrical bail when the lid isclosed on the semi-cylindrical housing.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of loading a hay bail into a hay feeder as describedabove. The method includes the steps of positioning the lid to the sideof the housing and then rolling the cylindrical hay bail onto the lidand pressing down on the rim where the lid is connected with sufficientforce to lift the trough and position it towards the cylindrical haybail. The hay bail is then rolled over the lid and into the trough.Finally, the last step is to close the lid with the cylindrical hay bailpositioned within the trough.

With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparentto those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as thisspecification proceeds, the invention is herein described by referenceto the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof which includes adescription of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hay feeder made in accordance with thepresent invention showing the lid portion of the hay feeder in an openposition.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the hay feeder shown in FIG. 1 with the flexiblenet removed to better see the features of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the hay feeder shown in FIG. 1 showing the lidportion in a closed position with the net portion extended.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hay feeder shown in FIG. 1 showing the lidportion in a closed position extended.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the hay feeder shown in FIG. 1 showing the lidportion in a closed position with the net portion retracted.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the hay feeder of the present invention withthe lid portion in its most lowered position and a hay bail positionedadjacent the lid.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the hay feeder shown in FIG. 6 with the haybail being rolled onto the lid portion.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the hay feeder shown in FIG. 7 showing the haybay being rolled into the trough portion of the feeder and the lidportion being close.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a hay feeder made in accordance with thepresent invention, shown generally a item 10, consists of asemi-cylindrical barrel shaped trough portion 12 made of a rectangularsteel frame 14 having a plurality of curved elongated members 16 weldedthereto. Elongated members 16 are preferably made from steel tubing andare curved in the shape of a semicircle to form an arched bottom 36.Rectangular frame 14 is preferably fabricated from steel tubing and hasopposite ends 22 and 24, front side 26 and back side (or rear side) 28.Elongated members 16 each have one end welded to front side 26 ofrectangular frame 14 and an opposite end welded to back side 28 of therectangular frame. Semi-circular side members 18 and 20 are welded toends 22 and 24 of frame 14, respectively. Semi-circular side members 18and 20 are preferably consist of relatively thin steel plates and havebottom edges 19 and 21, respectively, which are parallel to elongatedmembers 16. If a less rigid and lighter weight construction is required,side members 18 and 20 may consist of curved elongated members identicalto elongated members 16 instead of steel plates. Elongated members 16are spaced apart to form drainage openings 25 between the elongatedmembers and between the elongated members and semicircular members 18and 20. Lid 30 is pivotally connected to back end 28 and is dimensionedto fit over rim (rectangular frame) 14 to close off open top 11 oftrough/housing 12. Lid 30 consists of a steel rectangular frame 32supporting a large flexible net 34. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, net34 is extendable so that feeder 10 is cylindrical when the net isextended.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 8 the method of loading hay feeder 10with cylindrical hay bail 40 shall now be discussed. Hay feeder 10 ispositioned on the surface of ground 38 with the curved bottom 36 oftrough 12 resting on the ground. Lid 30 is then swung open asillustrated by arrow 31 so that a distal end 42 of lid 30 touches ground38 and the lid is to the side of trough/housing 12 (see FIG. 6).Cylindrical hay bail 40 is then rolled adjacent lid 30 (FIG. 6) and thenrolled on top of lid 30 (se FIG. 7) by rolling the bail in the directionindicated by arrow 43. The hay bail is then rolled across lid 30 andinto trough 12. Lid 30 is then swung over the hay bail by moving it inthe direction indicated by arrow 45.

The hay feeder made in accordance with this invention has severaladvantages over other hay feeders. Firstly, since hay bail 40 is neverlifted off the ground and is merely rolled across the ground and acrosslid 30, the operation of loading the hay bail into the hay feeder can bedone by hand and without the aid of a tractor or powered equipment.Furthermore, since feeder 10 is made from mostly steel tubing, it isrelatively light weight and can be moved about the surface of the groundwithout the need of a tractor. The feeder is also highly compact beingonly slightly larger than the hay bail itself therefore it can be easilystored and positioned closer together.

A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed;however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could beenvisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understoodthat the present invention is not limited to the embodiments describedabove, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of thefollowing claims.

Therefore, what is claimed is:
 1. A hay feeder for enclosing acylindrical bail of hay, the hay feeder comprising a housing having abottom and side walls formed as a semi-cylindrical trough, the housinghaving an open top, an interior and a rim surrounding the open top, therim having opposite front and back edges, a lid pivotally coupled to theback edge of the rim and dimensioned to cover the open top, the lidbeing movable between open and closed positions, the lid having arectangular frame supporting a flexible net, the semi-cylindrical troughdimensioned to contain a first longitudinal portion of the cylindricalbail of hay, the flexible net configured such that the net covers over asecond longitudinal portion of the cylindrical bail of hay when the lidis closed.
 2. The hay feeder of claim 1 wherein the semi-cylindricaltrough has a plurality of drainage apertures.
 3. The hay feeder definedin claim 1 wherein the lid is positioned to the side of thesemi-cylindrical trough when the lid is in it's open position.
 4. Thehay feeder defined in claim 1 wherein the semi-cylindrical troughcomprises a plurality of parallel elongated members having opposite endsmounted to a rectangular frame at their opposite ends, each of theelongated members being shaped into a semicircle, the rectangular frameforming the rim and having opposite first and second sides and oppositefirst and second ends, the parallel elongated members being mounted tothe first and second sides of the rectangular frame, first and secondsemicircular members being fixed on the first and send ends of therectangular frame parallel to the elongated members, the elongatedmembers being spaced apart.
 5. A hay feeder for enclosing a cylindricalbail of hay having opposite first and second longitudinal portions, thehay feeder comprising a semi-cylindrical housing dimensioned to enclosethe first longitudinal portion of the cylindrical bail, thesemi-cylindrical housing having an arched bottom and an open top havinga rim, a lid configured to fit the rim to close the open top, the lidcomprising a frame supporting a flexible net dimensioned to enclose thesecond longitudinal portion of the cylindrical bail when the lid isclosed on the semi-cylindrical housing.
 6. The hay feeder of claim 5wherein the arched bottom has a plurality of drainage apertures.
 7. Thehad feeder of claim 5 wherein the lid is pivotally connected to the rimand is pivotally movable between an open position wherein the top isopen and a closed position wherein the lid closes off the top.
 8. Thehay feeder defined in claim 7 wherein the lid is positioned to the sideof the housing when the lid is in it's open position.
 9. The hay feederdefined in claim 5 wherein the semi-cylindrical housing comprises aplurality of parallel elongated members having opposite ends mounted toa rectangular frame at their opposite ends, each of the elongatedmembers being shaped into a semicircle, the rectangular frame formingthe rim and having opposite first and second sides and opposite firstand second ends, the parallel elongated members being mounted to thefirst and second sides of the rectangular frame, first and secondsemicircular members being fixed on the first and send ends of therectangular frame parallel to the elongated members, the elongatedmembers being spaced apart.
 10. A method of loading the hay feederdefined in claim 8 with the cylindrical hay bail comprising the steps ofpositioning the lid to the side of the housing, rolling the cylindricalhay bail onto the lid and pressing down on the rim where the lid isconnected with sufficient force to lift the trough and position ittowards the cylindrical hay bail, rolling the cylindrical hay bail overthe lid and into the trough, then closing the lid with the cylindricalhay bail positioned within the trough.